Explore Chief Scientist Jobs

Chief Scientists guide an organization’s scientific vision, research strategy, and technical innovation. These senior leaders help turn complex research into meaningful products, services, and discoveries while advising executives on scientific opportunities and risks. Explore vetted Chief Scientist opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.

What Does a Chief Scientist Do?

Responsibilities vary by organization and industry, but commonly include setting research priorities, leading multidisciplinary teams, overseeing experiments and development programs, evaluating emerging technologies, and communicating findings to business and government leaders. Chief Scientists may also shape research budgets, build partnerships with universities or laboratories, and ensure that work meets ethical, regulatory, and quality standards.

Common Skills and Qualifications

Employers often seek a strong record of scientific achievement, deep expertise in a relevant discipline, and experience leading research teams or complex programs. A doctoral degree is common in many fields, though requirements depend on the role. Strategic thinking, clear communication, collaboration, and the ability to connect scientific evidence with organizational goals are valuable across industries.

Industries and Career Opportunities

Chief Scientist roles are available in areas such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, artificial intelligence, aerospace, energy, government, and advanced manufacturing. Titles and reporting structures differ: some positions focus on fundamental research, while others lead applied science, product development, or enterprise-wide innovation.

Find Chief Scientist Roles on Ladders

Use Ladders to explore vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more. Review each listing’s responsibilities, qualifications, location, and compensation details to identify roles that fit your expertise and leadership goals.

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$95K - $115K *

Lead the charge in carbon accounting, collaborating with enterprise sustainability leaders to define methodologies, manage emissions data, and translate regulations into actionable product insights fo...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Lead Corporate FP&A initiatives, driving budgeting, forecasting, and performance management. Oversee financial analysis and reporting while enhancing systems and dashboards for improved decision-makin...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $165K *

Elevate your career as a Scientific Product Owner, driving innovation in clinical genomics software. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate scientific needs into actionable requirements...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$145K - $185K *

Champion growth by leading business development within the Intelligence Community. Build relationships, shape solutions, and ensure contract success while managing a diverse portfolio and driving team...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$175K - $205K *

Transform client relationships and drive growth by leading strategic initiatives in scientific visualization, medical education, and digital engagement. Manage multidisciplinary teams and oversee acco...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$170K - $190K *

Lead formulation development from discovery to clinical stages, translating compounds into scalable processes. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive strategy, solve challenges, and ensure q...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$180K - $225K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of AI in security. Lead the development and adoption of AI infrastructure, driving measurable improvements across security operations while collaborating with cros...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $161K *

Join a team that's dedicated to ensuring drug safety, evaluating adverse events, and managing risk. Collaborate with cross-functional experts to uphold compliance while driving safety monitoring and p...

Waltham, MARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $180K *

Help us drive revenue growth by leading the full sales cycle in the Digital Science sector, engaging with C-suite leaders and aligning solutions with enterprise strategies to enhance decision-making a...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$172K - $202K *

Lead research initiatives on emerging AI safety and security, guiding clients through innovative insights and strategic decisions. Engage with diverse stakeholders to analyze trends and develop compre...

Irving, TXRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Business Services

$172K - $202K *

Innovate within identity and access management by providing expert insights and strategies to clients on best practices in identity governance, privileged access, and AI tools, enhancing cybersecurity...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Business Services

$224K - $326K *

Serve as a technical leader for large customers, guiding AI cloud strategies. Connect business priorities with scalable architecture while managing executive engagements and navigating complex decisio...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Drive incident response excellence by coordinating complex IT incidents, fostering cross-team collaboration, and producing clear, executive-ready communications to mitigate mission impact and enhance...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$297K - $367K *

Grow your career with a pivotal role driving hospital data integration and compliance. Lead execution of clinical data operations, build relationships, and ensure secure data handling while shaping a...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$155K - $205K *

Champion process excellence by optimizing workflows and driving cross-functional improvements. Collaborate with teams to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate service quality throu...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$150K - $197K *

Lead strategic initiatives as a trusted advisor to the CEO, enhancing organizational effectiveness through cross-functional collaboration, executive representation, and performance monitoring to achie...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$252K - $300K *

Unlock potential by leading the technical strategy for Data Labs, guiding engineering teams to innovate AI training solutions, and shaping the future of model evaluation and deployment in a rapidly ev...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$200K - $235K *

Drive product excellence by owning the lifecycle and security of high-performance client SaaS platforms hosted on AWS. Lead a dedicated team to optimize operations, ensure compliance, and deliver seam...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $175K *

Grow your career with a leadership role in federal business development, driving strategy and execution for health programs. Lead capture management, build relationships, and mentor staff while contri...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$160K - $200K *

Elevate client success by leading high-stakes projects and cultivating strong relationships while driving innovative solutions and business growth in a dynamic consulting environment...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$146K - $196K *

Transform genomic insights into clinical applications by designing automated solutions and integrating AI/ML approaches. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance variant curation and ensure...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's redefining machine learning implementation to drive impactful research and innovate within a collaborative environment. Contribute to projects, open source, and author scientific pa...

Berkeley, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$110K - $130K *

Champion our security posture by designing and automating detection and response systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance incident response and improve security practices, ensuring...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Join a pioneering team to build an AI-enabled care delivery platform, bridging clinical expertise and engineering to create safe, effective patient care solutions. Drive innovation from concept to pro...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$110K - $130K *

Transform early phase clinical trials by leading design, execution, and oversight. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and data integrity while managing project performance an...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Chief Scientist do?question toggle

    A Chief Scientist leads or advises an organization’s research and scientific strategy. The role may include setting priorities, managing research teams, evaluating new technologies, overseeing development programs, and communicating scientific findings to senior leaders.

  • What qualifications are typically required for Chief Scientist jobs?question toggle

    Requirements depend on the field and employer. Many positions call for advanced expertise, a strong record of research or innovation, and experience leading teams or programs. A Ph.D. is common in some scientific disciplines, while other roles may value equivalent industry experience.

  • Which industries hire Chief Scientists?question toggle

    Chief Scientists work in fields including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, artificial intelligence, aerospace, energy, government, and advanced manufacturing.

  • How much do Chief Scientists earn?question toggle

    Compensation varies by industry, location, organization, and scope of responsibility. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more; check individual listings for available salary information.

  • How can I find Chief Scientist jobs paying $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Browse Chief Scientist listings on Ladders and review each role’s salary information, responsibilities, location, and qualifications to find opportunities suited to your background.